Reinforced gloves and pads



June 21, 1955 s s, HALL 2,710,971

REINF'ORCED GLOVES AND PADS Filed June 5, 1952 FigzggINVENTOR.

Samuel S. Hall @www ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,710,971 REINFORCED GLovEs AND PADS .'Silm'uel S. Hall, Carrollton, Ohio, assignor lto The Martins Ferry Glove Company, Uhrich'sville, hio, a corv.poration of Ohio Application June s, '1952, serial No. 291,389

The invention relates to gloves, pads and the Alike reinforced withmet'al to protect workers vhandling sheet steel, 'tin fpla't'e, Lnietal stampingfsfand other iarticles having lsharp edges,

Under present practice leather gloves reinforced with metal staples have been provided for such use, but such *gloves "have not been entirely satisfactory as they are veryiif'la'nd-bulkyand workersfoften refuse to use them..

Furthermore, `the leather gloves will cut easily `when they *become fwo'r'n and `it Vsometimes'happens that va sharp edge of a metal sheet or the like will cut through'theglove, between the staples, cutting the workers hand.

` 'The v-object of the 'presentjiuvention vis to'p'rovide a glove, pad ior the like provided with afilexible metal rein- 'f'ceiiint Iwhich does not render the lglove or pad stiff or Tbullryand which "is so constructed that the sharp Aedges 'of fnetallshe'ets -or Vthe likecan 'not eut therethrough and cnt'c'tthe wearersfhan'd.

l/n'ther fob'jec't is to provide such a device which is -riiiforcedlby strips of hookless fasteners of the type cornmonly known as zippers.

A further. object is to provide a device of this character comprising a glove or pad formed of canvas, or similar fabric material, having a plurality of strips of closed hookless fasteners or zippers sewed, vcemented `or otherfwise attached vto the surface Vinfsuch position as jto fcompletely lprotet the hand or other portion of the body -of the worker. f

A still further object is to provide a device of this charate'r'reiiiforced'in vthe manner referred to, and-coated inside and out with rubber, vinyl or synthetic rubber, preferably neoprene, or an oil resistant synthetic.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved reinforced glove and pad in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Fig. l is a front elevation of a reinforced glove constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 an enlarged, transverse, sectional View through il' the glove taken as on the line 2-2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a front elevation of a reinforced pad constructed in accordance with the invention; and,

Fig. 4 a transverse, sectional view through the pad taken as on the line 44, Fig. 3.

Referring first to the reinforced glove shown in Figs. l and 2, the same comprises a glove formed of canvas, or other suitable fabric, having the usual fingers 11 and thumb stall 12.

For the purpose of reinforcing this glove to provide a completely flexible and pliable structure which will easily conform to natural movements of the hand and at the same time effect complete protection, a plurality of strips of closed hookless fasteners or zippers, as indicated generally at 13, are attached to the glove.

These reinforcing strips may be attached to the palm ICC of the glove and the front sides of the lingersy 11 and thumb stall 12, as shown in Fig. 1-, where the glove is-to be used for handling metal sheets, stampings and the like 'having sharp edges, or these reinforcing strips may be attached to the back of vthe 'glove and lthe backs of the `fingers and thumb stall thereof or protect the back ofthe wearers hand when used for such purpose as cutting sugar cane or the like.

These ho'okless fasteners or zippers comprisetwo series of interlocking metal prongs 14 attached to fabric strips 15. In order to use these fasteners for reinforcing the glove they are first placed in the closed or locked position, in usual and well known manner, interlocking the two series of Vmetal prongs 14 with each other.

The fabric strips I5 carrying these metal prongs are then sewed, cemented or otherwise-firmly .attached to the desired portions of the surface of't'hejg'love. "Inthe .glove shown :in Fig. l, where the 'reinforcing is desired -upon the Lfront surface thereof, it lwill be seen ythat one reinforcing strip is attached to the lfront of 'each 'finger and extends down'across the palm of the glove vto the wrist.

IOne or 'more additional strips may be attached to vvthe palm of the glove between the strips 13, as indicated at 13a in Fig.l l, and one or more strips are attached to `the surface ofthe thumb stall l12. Y To attach the zipper strips 'to the. glove, thefabricpor- 'tions 1'5 thereof may bestitchedto ytheiglov'efor they .may be attached by means of any suitable cement.

The glove, with the 'reinforcing strips'attached thereto, Vmay then be coated both inside and out, as indicated at *f6 and 17" respectively, with rubber, vinyl or synthetic rubber, preferably neoprene, or an .oil resistant synthetic, producing'a'pliable and IileXible 'glove which is waterproof and*- oil resistant. e

The interlocking rne'talmembers '1:4 ofthe zipperstrips provide'an unbroken metal surface completelyprotecting 'the hand'so that there is "no possibility of sharp .edges of metal cutting 'through'the same at any point. g

:lnthe same 'manner protective y'pads or patches may be produceddfor hands, knees, seats of .garments .and .the like. Such a pad is 'shown in Figs. `3 and 4, being .indicated generally .`at 18, and being 'formed Vof any .suitable lfabric'or `the`like The surface of the pad is substantially covered with a plurality of zipper strips, indicated at 13b, located close together and stitched or cemented to the surface of the pad. The outer and inner surfaces of the pad, with the zipper strips thereon, may then be `coated with rubber, vinyl, or synthetic rubber, preferably neoprene, or an oil resistant synthetic, as indicated at 19 and 20, producing a pliable, oil resistant and waterproof, metal reinforced pad or patch.

If the pad is to be used for protecting the hand, knee or the like, a band 21 of fabric, or other suitable material, 1s attached at opposite ends to the back of the pad so that it may easily be slipped on or off.

Such reinforced pads may be worn over the palms of the hands for handling sharp or rough material, or may x be worn upon the back of the hand for use in cutting cane or for similar uses. The pad may also be slipped over the knee to be worn as a removable knee pad, or may be applied in any suitable manner to the seat of a garment.

It will be seen that such a glove or pad provides ilex-y r ibility in any direction, as the zipper strips may be flexed forwardly, backwardly or laterally, at all times maintaining a complete protection against cutting of the glove or pad by sharp edges of metal, as is possible in the case of the staple reinforced gloves and pads now in use where the edge of a metal sheet or the like frequently cuts through the glove or pad between adjacent staples.

It should be understood thatthe invention is applicable in all directions these zipper strips provide a gripping w action which assists the wearer in handling such materials.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reinforced protective device comprising a body member of pliable material and a plurality of substantially parallel reinforcing strips of premanently closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to and extending over substantially the entire area of a surface of the body member, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of flexible material, and a coating of rubber like material upon said surface of the body member and said reinforcing strips.

2. A reinforced protective device comprising a body member of pliable material and a plurality of substantially parallel reinforcing strips of permanently closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to and extending over substantially the entire area of a surface of the body member, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of flexible material, and a coating of rubber like material upon the inner and outer surfaces of said body member and said reinforcing strips.

3. A reinforced glove formed of pliable material having lingers and a thumb stall thereon, and a plurality of reinforcing strips of closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to a surface of the glove, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of flexible material, certain of said reinforcing strips extending substantially from the ends of the fingers and thumb stall to the wrist portion of the glove.

4. A reinforced glove formed of pliable fabric material having lingers and a thumb stall thereon, and a plurality of reinforcing strips of closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to a surface of the glove, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of flexible material, certain of said reinforcing strips extending substantially from the ends of the fingers and thumb stall to the wrist portion of the glove.

5. A reinforced glove formed of pliable material having lingers and a thumb stall thereon, and a plurality of reinforcing strips of closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to a surface of the glove, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of cxible material, certain of said reinforcing strips extending substantially from the ends of the fingers and thumb stall to the wrist portion of the glove, and a coating of rubber like material upon said glove and reinforcing strips.

6. A reinforced glove formed of pliable fabric material having fingers and a thumb stall thereon, and a plurality of reinforcing strips of closed hookless fasteners of the zipper type attached to a surface of the glove, each reinforcing strip comprising two series of interlocked metal prongs attached to strips of exible material, certain of said reinforcing strips extending substantially from the ends of the fingers and thumb stall to the Wrist portion of the glove, and a coating of rubber like material upon said glove and reinforcing strips.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,343,220 Mason Feb. 29,1944 2,496,734 MacReadie Feb. 7, 1950 2,568,083 Mitchell Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 988,994 France Sept. 3, 1951 

